MOJAVE, Calif. The Spaceship Company (TSC), the aerospace production joint venture of Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic and Scaled Composites, continues to make strides in making commercial space travel a reality with the qualification of three primary aerostructure suppliers. Each approved company is now officially qualified to fabricate structural composite components for the WhiteKnightTwo and SpaceShipTwo space tourism vehicles.
TSC’s qualified primary aerospace structure suppliers include:
Applied Aerospace Structures Corp (AASC)
3437 South Airport Way
Stockton, CA 95206
http://www.aascworld.com
GFMI Aerospace & Defense
17375 Mount Herrmann St.
Fountain Valley, CA 92708
http://www.gfmiaero.com
Triumph Aerospace Systems – Wichita
9323 E 34th Street N
Wichita, KS 67226-2621
http://www.triumphgroup.com/companies/triumph-aerospace-systems-wichita
This designation has been awarded to these three companies in recognition of their demonstrated ability to meet or exceed the requirements of TSC Qualification Process TSCP-740. This process determines a supplier’s commitment to fabrication excellence and quality through a facilities survey, examination of each company’s quality management system and a thorough evaluation of representative structure fabricated by their teams.
“Our goal is to produce the highest quality and safest commercial spaceflight systems and these well-qualified suppliers will help us achieve that goal,” said Enrico Palermo, Vice President of Operations for The Spaceship Company.
TSC’s Director of Supply Chain Bob Marks says that a request for quote package for the first outsourced structures is currently being prepared for release.
“On behalf of everyone here at The Spaceship Company, I personally welcome AASC, GFMI Aerospace and Defense, and Triumph Aerospace systems to TSC and look forward to working together to bring access to space within everyone’s reach,” said Marks.
About The Spaceship Company
Headquartered at Mojave Air and Space Port, The Spaceship Company is the aerospace production company, founded by Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic and Scaled Composites, which is building the world’s first fleet of commercial spaceships (SpaceShipTwos) and carrier aircraft (WhiteKnightTwos) intended to make regular, commercial, manned space travel a reality. http://www.thespaceshipcompany.com
About Virgin Galactic
Virgin Galactic, owned by Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Group and Aabar Investments PJS, is on track to be the world’s first commercial spaceline. The new spaceship (SpaceshipTwo, VSS Enterprise) and carrier aircraft (WhiteKnightTwo, VMS Eve) have both been developed for Virgin Galactic by Mojave-based Scaled Composites. Founded by Burt Rutan, Scaled developed SpaceShipOne, which in 2004 claimed the $10m Ansari X Prize as the world’s first privately developed manned spacecraft. Virgin Galactic’s new vehicles share much of the same basic design, but are being built to carry six customers on sub-orbital space flights, allowing an out-of-the-seat, zero-gravity experience and offering astounding views of the planet from the black sky of space. The VSS Enterprise and VMS Eve test flight program is well under way, leading to Virgin Galactic commercial operations, which will be based at Spaceport America in New Mexico. http://www.virgingalactic.com
About Scaled Composites
Founded in 1982, Scaled Composites specializes in the design, fabrication and flight testing of prototype aircraft and spacecraft from composite materials. Scaled is a project-oriented company that offers services within a concept-to-completion environment. Our services include conceptual design, aerodynamic and structural analysis and design, tooling, fabrication, structural testing, flight testing and simulation. http://www.scaled.com
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Griffin Communications Group
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